[Mick]

The team has hit pretty well since June. Frankly, I think they have enough hitting and bullpen to contend.

You could be right. In the last 30 days, the Giants have six players (who actually play a lot) that are hitting over .300. One of them is Posey, who has hit .329 in the last 30 days. I must admit I hadn't noticed that level of improvement. Maybe he is "back"? Longoria hit .371, but in only 35 ABs. If he can come back soon and stay hot that will help a lot. Crawford is improved. He is hitting .260 in the last 30 days, lots better than the .230 before that. The key question is will this improved hitting continue? If it does, just maybe it is enough. Contrary to my perception, Pablo has only hit .234 in the last 30 days. He can't play every day. If Longoria isn't back soon, we aren't going to make it. Pablo has had a lot of important hits, but also lots of important Ks.

I heard either Kruk or Kuip attribute Sandoval's weaker hitting to the fact that for a stretch he was playing every day.  He's really just a role player right now.  BTW, the entire team is dressing like Sandoval for the trip to Philadelphia; e.g., velvet loafers, large gold chains, white trousers, multicoloredshirts.  It's Panda day...

The Panda's OPS  is .821.  Also in the .800s are Solano, Yastrzemski and Vogt, Dickerson leads the team at 1.237 and #2 is Stanford's very own Austin Slater at .907.  Not too shabby.  Posey's creeping up to an OBP of .329 (.335 is the major league average).  The only one who has really started to deteriorate is Pillar.

[Mick]

The team has hit pretty well since June. Frankly, I think they have enough hitting and bullpen to contend.

You could be right. In the last 30 days, the Giants have six players (who actually play a lot) that are hitting over .300. One of them is Posey, who has hit .329 in the last 30 days. I must admit I hadn't noticed that level of improvement. Maybe he is "back"? Longoria hit .371, but in only 35 ABs. If he can come back soon and stay hot that will help a lot. Crawford is improved. He is hitting .260 in the last 30 days, lots better than the .230 before that. The key question is will this improved hitting continue? If it does, just maybe it is enough. Contrary to my perception, Pablo has only hit .234 in the last 30 days. He can't play every day. If Longoria isn't back soon, we aren't going to make it. Pablo has had a lot of important hits, but also lots of important Ks.

I heard either Kruk or Kuip attribute Sandoval's weaker hitting to the fact that for a stretch he was playing every day.  He's really just a role player right now.  BTW, the entire team is dressing like Sandoval for the trip to Philadelphia; e.g., velvet loafers, large gold chains, white trousers, multicoloredshirts.  It's Panda day...

The Panda's OPS  is .821.  Also in the .800s are Solano, Yastrzemski and Vogt, Dickerson leads the team at 1.237 and #2 is Stanford's very own Austin Slater at .907.  Not too shabby.  Posey's creeping up to an OBP of .329 (.335 is the major league average).  The only one who has really started to deteriorate is Pillar.